Vanishing edge pools

If you have been thinking of putting a swimming pool in your back yard, know one of the hottest trends in the pool industry is the infinity edge, or vanishing edge pool.

You've seen them in the upscale home and garden magazines, where you look past the edge of the pool and into a beautiful landscape. Think hillside or mountain/valley view. Often you have a man made waterfall in the configuration, either at one end of the pool for a high drop or in the landscaping itself, dropping into the pool area. But before you dream yourself into bankruptcy, know that the price of an infinity edge pool can go up at least by $15,000 or more and that's not counting the extras like waterfall construction or retention walls. But if your pool is verging on $100,000, then that might seem like a drop in the pool to get the aesthetic you are swimming for.

If you have kids, make sure they are protected from the large drop at the end of the pool. If you are thinking high level sports in your pool, know that a waterfall at the edge can create some currents that will disturb your athletics, ( e.g., volleyballs going over the edge and into the catch basin). But these seem like small efforts in order to create your own private Xanadu.